Rodeo (and a surprise guest!)

Yesterday was so nice that Donna, P and I decided to walk Kachina and Fancy up to the public arena and do some work. It was Kachina's first trip, and the first time I would try to teach her longing on a line (from what I know she's done some work at liberty in a small round pen, but not in a big arena).

After a rather harrowing fifteen minute walk on the road (which Kachina was very good for, considering the cars and motorcycles speeding past her), we passed Maverick's stable just as Kelli was working Maverick in the arena; or, rather, just after Maverick's roping rein broke on one side, and Kelli was recovering from her first equine wardrobe malfunction. After I was sure she was alright, Kachina and I continued up the hill to the public arena to join Donna and Fancy.

Kachina was very excited when she saw the space and, of course, she wanted to go running off with Fancy. She started rearing up right in front of me. I've never had a horse rear so high and straight, so close to me before; it was both awe inspiring and a little irritating, but I can't say I was afraid of being struck. We practiced some disengaging to calm her down and get her mind working. She's gotten very good at disengaging her hindquarters, even though it's pretty obvious that she doesn't enjoy it.

Meanwhile, Donna longed Fancy in preparation to ride her. Fancy's just getting re-used to being ridden; this would be her fourth time under saddle, I believe, since her old life in Montana.

After working on the disengage, we did some flexing. She wasn't wearing her rope halter, which she's better in of course, so it took a little time to remind her of what I was asking. Even still, once she got the idea, she was flexing like a pro.

Once she was all settled, I teaching her to walk around me in a circle without much success. I have never taught a horse to longe without a roundpen, and she has never longed in such a big space on a line, so we were both a little baffled. She thought she was supposed to disengage and turn in towards me (something I did teach her on the leadrope), and ddin't understand that I wanted her to keep walking. I, on the other hand, didn't really know how to encourage her to keep straight and go in a circle; I knew to stay behind the drive line, and I used my stick to tap her rump, but she still thought all of that meant "face the handler" not "keep walking." I'll be the first to admit that longing is not my strong point!

Donna, on the other hand, was on Fancy's back and had started walking her when, all of a sudden, Fancy started bucking and hopping! I ran over and grabbed Fancy's halter to stop her. Even though she stopped bucking, she kept kicking out, so Donna and I decided that, rather than Donna get off and letting her win, I'd walk them around on lead for a while. Donna used her reins and legs the same as always, while I stayed on the ground and gave Fancy a nose bump every time she kicked out. Eventually, Donna was able to walk her around a little without Fancy being attached to the lead. Although Fancy didn't like it, she didn't win in the end by bucking, so I think it was a huge hurdle cleared.

After she was done on Fancy, Donna showed me how to teach Kachina to longe on a line. She made it look so easy! And Kachina took to it very quickly. It made it painfully clear just how much I have left to learn about training a young horse.

While she was longing, five more people came into the arena, along with three more horses and a dog. Lots of stimulation! Donna asked Kachina to go around a few times on both sides, and stop on command, and then we ended it all on a good note.

Even more distracting was that two of those visitors were Kelli and Maverick! It was the first time Kachina had seen her "big brother" since January. I'm pretty sure they remembered each other, and she seemed very excited (check out that smile!).

We grabbed our things after that and left to sit in the grass and let the horses graze for about ten minutes as a reward for a good day's work before heading home: